The Washington Commanders might be sitting pretty at 5-2 atop the NFC East. Even so, nobody within the building is resting on their laurels.
General manager Adam Peters is always looking for ways to improve the roster amid increasing expectations. This perennial struggler is finally back among the postseason hopefuls, so getting complacent is simply not an option.
Peters gave himself plenty of financial flexibility both this season and when the 2025 recruitment period arrives. The new front-office leader also has a rich bounty of draft assets at his disposal if a suitable trade target emerges before the deadline.
Rumors surrounding a potential pitch to the Cleveland Browns for edge rusher Za'Darius Smith reared their head on Monday. Nothing concrete has emerged, but the Commanders are trying.
Commanders reportedly inquired about Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Another report lent further weight to this claim. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN stated that Washington was among the teams that inquired about wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling following his release by the Buffalo Bills. The promise of prominent involvement with the under-strength New Orleans Saints tipped the scales.
Whether the Commanders made a formal offer or not wasn't disclosed. The Indianapolis Colts and others also examined the possibility of bringing Valdes-Scantling into the fold following the Bills' decision to trade for Amari Cooper. New Orleans seems like a good fit that should give the pass-catcher plenty of playing time.
Valdes-Scantling is a big-bodied wideout and a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs. His production over the last season and a half has regressed, but he can stretch the field vertically and put his wide catch radius to good use in red-zone situations.
This would have been an asset for the Commanders. At the same time, Peters will have a list of potential possibilities he feels can help rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels continue his exceptional rookie campaign. And with Washington being further ahead in the rebuilding process, the former San Francisco 49ers executive could be more aggressive than initially anticipated.
No team gets anywhere by standing still. Struggling organizations will be looking to dispose of contracts and stockpile assets with their seasons looking like a lost cause already. The Commanders were once in this situation. That's not the case anymore, so adapting accordingly is key.
Valdes-Scantling chose substantial playing time to potentially get a long-term commitment somewhere in 2025, which is fine. The Commanders might have made nothing more than a courtesy call without an offer. There's no telling for sure with the information available.
What fans can decipher is Peters leaving no stone unturned in pursuit of enhancing Washington's surprising playoff aspirations. They can also relax safe in the knowledge their primary decision-maker is always putting the team first and thinking with the future in mind.
There are no band-aid fixes for gaping wounds. Everything is being handled collaboratively and methodically in equal measure. The Commanders are in a good spot right now. Adding to the group must only be done if there is supreme conviction that potential targets can fit into the team's new and improved culture.
An interesting few weeks await. And there will be plenty more speculation to come.